240 Chapter 10
do not cover; and the project specifications indicate what the drawings do not portray or clarify further
details that are not covered or amplified by the drawings and notes on the drawings. Whenever there
is conflicting information on the drawings and project specifications, the project specifications take
precedence over the drawings. The general requirements are usually the first specifications listed for
the structure, stating the type of foundation, character of load-bearing members (wood frame, steel
frame, or concrete), type or types of doors and windows, types of mechanical and electrical installa-
tions, and the principal function of the building. Next follows the specific conditions that must be car-
ried out by the constructors.
The impact of new technologies on the way we do business is considerable, and spec writing has
not been immune. Specification production and reproduction have advanced by leaps and bounds in just
a short time period due to these new technologies. Master systems are now commercially available in
electronic form using a number of word processors. The specifier simply loads the master system into
the computer and gets instant access to it, complete with drawing checklist and explanation sheets.
Upon editing the relevant sections, a printout can be made with an audit trail that indicates what has
been deleted and what decisions must be made. Most offices in the United States use an 8 1/2 x 11-inch
format, while in Europe an A4 (8 1/4 x 11 3/4-inch) format is typically used.
10.2 WHY SPECIFICATIONS.
Drawings alone cannot define the qualitative issues of a scheme, which is why specifications are nec-
essary. Specifications are the written portion of the contract documents that are used to execute the
project. Design decisions are continuously made as drawings proceed from schematic sketches to con-
struction documents. Drawings depict the general configuration and layout of the design, including its
size, shape, and dimensions. It tells the contractor the quantities of materials needed, their placement,
and their general relationship to each other. Technical specifications are a form of materials list, requir-
ing similar decision making that reflects the design intent and describes in detail the quality and char-
acter of materials, the standards to which the materials and their installation shall conform, and other
issues that are more appropriately described in written rather than graphic form. And no matter how
beautiful the designer’s concept, the project cannot be correctly implemented without clear, concise,
accurate, and easily understood contract documents. Specs are a critical component of the contract
documents.
The construction drawings contain as much information about a structure as can be presented
graphically. A lot of information can be presented this way, but there is more information that the con-
struction craftsman must have that is not adaptable to the graphic form of presentation. Information of
this kind includes quality criteria for materials (for example, maximum amounts of aggregate per sack
of cement), specified standards of workmanship, prescribed construction methods, and so on. When
there is a discrepancy between the drawings and the specifications, always use the specifications as
the final authority. This kind of information is presented in a list of written specifications, familiarly
known as the specs. A list of specifications usually begins with a section on general conditions. This
section starts with a general description of the building, including type of foundation, types of windows,
character of framing, utilities to be installed, and so on. A list of definitions of terms used in the specs
comes next, followed by certain routine declarations of responsibility and certain conditions to be main-
tained on the job.